Butterfly Kisses Are Too Tame
by mew-tsubaki
Summary: For the Odd Pairings Songfic chal in HPFC. T for a bit of language. Luna learns the definition of a fling, and how some shooting stars have a hard time burning out. That 4-letter word is a mischievous one. R&R, please and thanks!


**Butterfly Kisses Are Too Tame**

A HariPo fanfiction

by mew-tsubaki

Note: These characters belong to J.K. Rowling, not me. This was for the **Odd Pairings Songfic Challenge** by **JustYourAverageWitch** in the **HPFC**. My pairing was George/Luna, inspired by the song "The Way I Loved You" by Taylor Swift. So, read, review, and enjoy!

**xxxxxxxxxx**

All that anyone ever saw was the "perfect" couple, despite how flawed this girl really was.

Luna Lovegood was crazy and kind and just a little bit _out there_. She was a match to balance out the likes of Neville Longbottom, who was a very down-to-earth, human wizard. Luna could make Neville shine.

But Luna could make almost anything shine. The only thing not shining…was herself.

There was a time when she sparkled, though.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It was…fourth year, wasn't it? All the hubbub about Umbridge and Dumbledore's Army… What a fantastical, exhilarating year!

Made all the more fun by the Weasley twins, it was.

To Luna, Dumbledore's Army was a place to form bonds, form friendships. She could practice her magic there, too. Thanks to Harry's teaching, she even managed a corporeal Patronus—and what a cute hare she conjured.

When the hare had first (and easily) appeared from her wand's tip, Luna had vaguely heard the chuckles and whistles behind her, making noises in awe. She could even blink and her concentration would not be broken. It was just as easy to turn and lock eyes with her admirers.

"Clever one here, Fred," George told his brother.

"You're in Ginny's year, right, Luna?" Fred asked.

"Yes," the witch replied.

"If Ginny's something to worry about in these meetings…"

"Luna's going to be as big a handful," George finished with a big smile. He and his brother shared another chuckle before leaving Luna alone. But George's comment put a smile on the lips of that Ravenclaw girl, and she knew that the funny, flipping feeling in her stomach wouldn't disappear soon—even after a spot of pudding.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"A new Wheeze?" Luna asked over George's shoulder at a later time.

He jumped, spooked that she had appeared quite literally out of nowhere. "Oh, Luna… Yeah." He held up the wand and winked to Fred. "Want to see?"

She nodded, curious. Fred tapped his wand to the one in George's hand. It went limp and began to curl around George's arm, hissing along the way. Very quickly, the wand darkened to the shape and color of a snake. Luna blinked in a bit of awe.

"Not too shabby, eh?" George asked with a laugh. "I'll tell you what—you can have the first one we sell."

Luna smiled brightly. "I'd like that very much."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Well, things only went downhill from there.

While Luna enjoyed getting close to Harry and Ginny and the others, she never felt more estranged from her classmates. She'd never stopped to observe it much before, either. But the fun would soon come to an end.

Everyone knew Umbridge was awful and it was why the entire school celebrated when the Weasley twins disrupted the O.W.L.s. Luna could clearly remember running out into the courtyard, feeling a part of something big and exciting as she clapped for the twins as they flew around outside and zoomed off.

They really were spectacular.

As the teachers tried ushering the students back inside, Luna dragged her feet, wanting to see a few more tricks. When it was obvious that the twins were certainly done, she headed in the direction of Ravenclaw Tower.

"What, no audience left?"

"George." She turned around, leaking a smidgen of surprise into her expression. She stared at him, and suddenly every little detail of the D.A. meetings surfaced. She wished she hadn't paid so much attention to him… "What are you going to do now?"

His face fell, revealing he hadn't expected that. "Uh, well… Fred and I are going to start up our own shop… In, er, Diagon Alley, we hope…" He scratched his head, trying to hide the fact that his ears were reddening. He squinted. "So, you'd…come sometime, right?"

"Of course." Luna smiled and waved to him. "I'll be your first customer." And she walked away. She wasn't thinking of anything else, though she could see his ears crimson like the red of her radish earrings and she knew how blue his eyes were, like the reflection of the early morning sky on thestral wings…

It was one of those awkward things. She wasn't listening to her surroundings and all she saw in front of her was the path to her dormitories and—

All she felt was the heat from his warm hand as it gently grabbed her arm and caught her. It turned her around and she instinctively looked up and—and—her first kiss was so much more feathery and passionate than she'd have ever surmised.

Needless to say, Luna would only ever want more.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

More with George was hard to get, though. With the twins absent from school, Luna grew closer to a few of her other fellow D.A. members, like Harry and Neville and Ginny. And then she went with them and Hermione and Ron to save Harry's godfather from the Department of Mysteries. Luna's following fifth year was just as steeped in those friendships, too.

The time at the Ministry of Magic drew Neville's eye. Luna liked him well enough and he was funny. He never had a high opinion of himself, yet he always proved to be a true Gryffindor. While there were rumors about a possible relationship between her and Harry, a real one began to develop between her and Neville.

But Luna only remembered George.

She made true on her promise to him. She was one of the very first to visit Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. In fact, she'd caught George when he and Fred had _just_ opened and had few customers.

The grin on George's face was priceless. "Well, if it isn't dear old Luna. People _do_ keep promises, Fred," he teased his twin. Fred had grumbled something about having to scrounge up his end of some bet before he sauntered off to help a paying customer.

"You've just opened?" Luna asked.

George nodded. "Yep. Let me give you a tour." And it was nice and fun and amusing and…awkward. Luna felt her cheeks burn as they approached a relatively quiet corner of the store. Her mind filled once again with thoughts of the past. "George…"

He frowned, his cheeks red and his eyes darting elsewhere. "Yeah, I know, Luna…"

Those words…hurt. They sounded tinged with disappointment in himself. Luna backpedaled. "Oh, it's nothing. I understand. That was a one-time thing, no? Something for research, I hope. I'd love to see what Wheeze you—"

"Dammit, no!" He grimaced and locked eyes with her. "I would _never_ play with a girl's heart just for the sake of a Wheeze, Lune, especially not yours. That's just wrong. …Okay, I could see Fred maybe doing that, but not me."

Luna frowned. "We should just leave it alone, George. You have your life and I have my studies."

"This coming from the optimist?"

"George…" He stole her breath as he had before. "George…" She frowned into his eyes. "…no playing?"

"No playing," he answered, and he gave that first morning over to her.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Things happened too fast after that. It was always slow-moving with George, but the surrounding events flew by and struck like free-thrown darts.

Dumbledore dead, Snape the traitor, school overrun by Death Eaters, Luna in hiding, Harry and company on the run, Luna in captivity—she'd never tell anyone how she'd survived, not even George…no, especially not him, he'd only get angry—then escaping, fighting…

_Surviving._

That was the hardest part for everyone and Luna was there for her friends. Neville thought he could be there for her, too, and Luna had to wonder… She even ended up with him. And why not? Fred was dead, George was seemingly after Angelina, and Luna was feeling pretty hollow inside, feeling like the war had left her with very little.

But the hardest part was yet to come.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

It was… Luna didn't even know how many years later. But she knew George was still with Angelina and Neville remained by the Ravenclaw's side.

The Ravenclaw wanted that Gryffindor joker by her side.

She knew it was silly, too impulsive. Yes, she was an impulse herself, always the one to be the most surprising. But she'd never thought of herself as the kind to have a "fling." The only problem was that she didn't know who her fling was—then.

But it was that time, when George finally reopened the shop, when Luna decided to revisit fleeting memories and girlish dreams.

The light was dim, the time was getting late, and Diagon Alley was fairly empty. Luna had arrived in the Wizarding mecca with only one thought on her mind. She just wished that she could solve things once and for all. If he wanted something mutual, then fine; they'd speak to Angelina and Neville. If he told her she was too young in her ideas, then she'd write this off as a passing fancy. However, Luna faced yet another dilemma:

She didn't know what even _she_ wanted.

The store was quiet and it was a wonder that it wasn't closed for the day. No one else was in there. In fact, Luna had to wonder if she was the first customer of the day… First customer… It brought back a sad yet happy memory.

"Bollocks."

The blonde witch blinked and turned around to see the frowning face of the remaining Weasley twin. He had his arms crossed in front of his chest and he didn't look too happy. Oh. Well…that answered one question.

"Why are you here, Luna?"

She fumbled her words for the first time in her life. "Oh, I was in…the area. Never mind. It was nice seeing you, George. Have a g—"

"Why are you doing this?"

She bit her bottom lip. "What?" She tried her best to have her face remain impassive.

"You know what. Don't play the ignorant little girl card. I know you better than that."

It was hard to keep quiet to that. "Do you? Because I feel I've learned the definition of a 'fling,' George, thanks to you. And it's not something I like very much. I suppose I had to see a bit of reality at some point in my life, though."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Oh, Luna… No. Don't think that way. It's just…"

"Just what?"

"You…You've come so late," he groaned as he walked past her into the back storeroom. She followed him. "And late is never good—or right."

"Late?"

"Yes, late," he said through gritted teeth as her own brow furrowed. "Why the bloody hell do you think I did those things before? Because I was just a hormonal teenage boy?"

Luna frowned and shrank away. "No… I'm sure it wasn't that."

"Oh?" He quirked an eyebrow, his anger dissipating. "Care to explain that line of thought?"

She blushed, new to these feelings…this strong beat in her chest. "I'm sure because I…I felt it, too. I felt like…like I just wanted to seize you, too, though certainly not in such a gruff way."

His mouth formed a little 'O' as his cheeks regained a healthy color. "Ah… Er, sorry 'bout that." He paused, a bit of his frown returning. "But…still…" His eyes dropped to the ground.

"We care for them, I know," Luna stated, knowing he was thinking of their significant others. "But we will tell them. It's only right."

"Only right?" he echoed.

"Yes," she said as she drew close to him. She reached up and cupped his cheek, feeling like she was a part of the best thing in the world. "It's only right to let…let _love_ flourish." She smiled as he caught her up and kissed her, no sign of teen nervousness or timidity in his actions.

_That_ was no butterfly kiss.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

**Woo, my first Georguna! :D I'm actually proud of this, 'cause it was hard to right. I love them both, but I've never written the pairing before…! Which is funny, as I write some **_**weird**_** pairings (current fav would be Luna/Louis, hehe). But I hope you enjoyed reading this drabble as much as I liked writing it.**

**Please review! Thanks!**

**-mew-tsubaki ;3**


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